1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the storage and retrieval of data in a mixed mode. More specifically, but not by way of limitation, the invention relates to the storage and retrieval of datasets having uncompressed and compressed data residing within the same frame or data space.
2. Brief Description of Related Art
It is well recognized within the art that there are several advantages in compressing vast amounts of data into small sets. Compressing data eases data storage, transmission, and retrieval applications. For example, compressing data aids in the reduction of consumption of expensive resources including storage space and/or transmission bandwidth.
There are many different encoding schemes for compressing data. For example, in one embodiment described in the Patent entitled “METHOD FOR ENCODING DATA,” the encoding scheme uses a compression process wherein an input stream is manipulated, encoded, and summarized to form entities that represent the input stream in a different form within the compressed sets. See U.S. Pat. No. 7,298,293, filed on May 18, 2006, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. In the alternative, in U.S. Provisional Patent No. 61/016,022 entitled METHOD FOR ENCODING & DECODING DATA, and the U.S. Provisional Patent No. 61/038,527 entitled METHOD FOR ENCODING & DECODING DATA, the subsequent decompression of data is described. See U.S. Provisional Patent No. 61/016,022, filed on Dec. 21, 2007, and U.S. Provisional Patent No. 61/038,527, filed on Mar. 21, 2008, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
These references, and other similar encoding and decoding schemes, deal with what may be termed as “extreme” compression and decompression of data. Extreme compression, and also general compression and decompression of data, are useful in the storage and retrieval of data in a mixed mode as will be described in further detail herein.
Original data may be considered data in an uncompressed state. When the original data is compressed, this may be thought of as compression occurring at the “lowest level.” Data manipulation of the resulting compression dataset is at a “higher level” as will be described in further detail herein.
Retrieval of data, whether at a lower level or a higher level, is generally needed either on a sequential basis, or on a random basis. For example, a motion picture that digitizes frame by frame and stores the frames in a medium for retrieval and play back utilizes sequential access. Alternatively, data provided on an as needed basis, such as an employee name or business contact, utilizes random access. Thus, a storage and retrieval process that accounts for both sequential access and random access is also generally needed.
Throughout the discussion, terms are used that are commonly found in the Flora species such as trees, branches, leaves, blooms, buds, petals, cones, etc. Using these analogies, the inter relationships between the various data elements are described in a more intuitive manner.